Saxifrage, Saxifraga arendsii - location, care and flowering period

Moss saxifrage belongs to the genus saxifrage. The small upholstered perennial is an ideal ground cover, which is popular due to its variety of varieties. Numerous colors provide appealing accents in the garden during the flowering period in spring, because the moss-like cushions form many flowers that can be combined painterly. Thanks to their undemanding nature, they require little maintenance, even in winter, as long as the location of Saxifraga arendsii is correct. They don't get drought or too much sun.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Saxifraga arendsii
• Genus: Saxifrage (Saxifraga)
• belongs to the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae)
• Common name: moss saxifrage
• compact upholstered shrub, resembles moss
• Height: 3 to 20 cm
• Leaves: small, ovate, pinnate, green leaves
• Blossom: lovely, bowl-shaped flowers in the colors red, pink, yellow and white
• Flowering period: April to May
• Origin: temperate to subarctic areas
• hardy
• lime tolerant
• Medicinal plant
• grows in stony areas such as mountains, making it suitable for rock gardens and borders
• available in several varieties
• can be kept as a potted plant
• Hybrid of the species Saxifraga exarata (furrowed saxifrage), Saxifraga moschata (musk saxifrage), Saxifraga rosacea (raceSaxifrage) and Saxifraga hypnoides (carpet saxifrage)

Location

The location for the moss saxifrage was intended to mimic the original home of the species from which the hybrid was bred. These are alpine areas that are either rich in humus or lined with stones and have a lot of sun available, while it is not too warm. The location should therefore be designed as follows:

• Light requirement: sunny to partially shaded
• no direct sunlight, especially around noon
• cool, average 16 ° C or cooler are recommended
• as long as the plant does not get direct sun, warmer temperatures are fine

floor

The soil must be in harmony with the location:

• humic or stony
• nutritious
• permeable
• dry, as the necessary moisture is provided by irrigation or rainwater
• calcareous soil is fine for moss saxifrage
• pH value: 6.5 - 7.5

plants

Planting the Saxifraga arendsii succeeds as follows:

• Plant remains and weed remove from the planting site
• dig a sufficiently large hole in the ground
• now the soil is enriched with compost
• Likewise, mix fine-grained pebbles into the excavated earth
• Pebbles work as an effective drainage system
• if you only have sandy substrate, you will need to mix it with clay to provide the necessary nutrients
• insert the plants into the ground at a distance of 15 to 20 cm from each other
• don't worry, the rapid growth will quickly close the open spaces
• Now apply a layer of bark mulch that should be about 3 cm thick
• then moisten

care

Saxifraga arendsii is popular with many gardeners because it is uncomplicated and robust. As long as you give the plant a good location, it hardly needs any maintenance. Even watering is reduced to a minimum with the moss saxifrage, you only have to fertilize once a year. Winter can't do much to the plant as long as you take care of an adequate water supply when winter allows.

to water

Watering is important for moss saxifrage because the plant can dry out very quickly. It is always dependent on a slightly moist substrate, because even shorter drying times can have a negative effect on the vitality of the crop. Nevertheless, waterlogging must not occur, which can be a problem, especially with specimens in the bucket, if the pot does not have sufficient drainage. It is poured as follows:

• pour in the morning or in the evening
• never water at lunchtime
• During this time the fresh water would evaporate because it has not yet drawn into the earth quickly enough
• don't pour too much
• check the soil for moisture with a finger test
• make sure that the surface does not dry out, but that no water remains
• Pour out excess water in the saucer when using potted plants
• Lime water is not a problem for Saxifraga arendsii

Fertilize

Classic fertilizer additions are not required with moss saxifrage and usually do not work really well. It is the same with compost, which cannot simply be lifted under the plants. In early autumn it is therefore worthwhile to carry out the following maintenance steps in order to supply the soil with sufficient nutrients:

• remove weeds and dead saxifrage specimens
• then spread a layer of horn shavings, bark mulch or sticks between the plants
• this can be a bit thicker
• this means that the plants retain more nutrients

In addition, the layer ensures a sufficient supply of nutrients over the winter and also stores water, which has a positive effect on the vitality of the plant over the cold season. Other fertilization measures are not necessary for the crop. Since saxifrage is not really persistent, you should move the plant regularly so that it receives fresh soil and the roots can re-expand.

Tip: If you keep a specimen in the bucket, you should fertilize regularly in small quantities with a flower fertilizer in the following composition: 8/12/6. But do not overdo it, because in most cases the substrate is completely sufficient if you renew it annually.

Cut

Cutting measures are not necessary for the moss saxifrage, as the plant never grows higher than 20 centimeters and does not spread too much by itself. It is necessary that you remove dead, brown parts of the plant in the spring, which is best done with clean scissors. You can use the grass trimmer to shorten the plant after flowering at the end of May to prevent self-sowing over the withered flowers. This method is particularly useful if you do not want the plant to spread independently in the garden.

Overwinter

You don't need any form of winter protection for moss saxifrage. Since the types of hybrid used come from the Alpine region, the plant is used to temperatures down to -23 ° C and can completely do without winter protection. The only important thing over the winter is the correct location, which should not differ from the normal location over the year, otherwise the plant will dry out. This means that too much sun causes brown shoots and parts of plants that die off. On frost-free days, it is therefore advisable to water the plant a little if there is no protection from the direct winter sun.

Multiply

Moss saxifrage can be propagated in two ways: by dividing and by seeds. Sharing works as follows:

• dig up an adult plant in spring
• now pick up a spade
• this should be sharp and disinfected so that the plant does not catch anything
• now simply divide in half
• then plant both halves in the ground as usual
• consider the planting distance

The sowing works very well if you already have a specimen available:

• in autumn you harvest the withered flowers, which have subsequently transformed into capsule fruits
• these contain seeds that you need for cultivation
• moss saxifrage is a cold germ
• that is, the seeds have to go through a cold phase before they can germinate
• place the seeds in a flat seed tray filled with substrate
• Spread a thin layer of earth on top
• Now set it up in a bright place in the garden
• Keep it sufficiently moist over the winter
• then prick out in early spring
• Put in the garden from May
• the first flowers appear a year later

Diseases and pests

Moss saxifrage is an extremely robust plant that is neither attacked by pests such as mites, lice or larvae, nor are mold or diseases a problem for the saxifrage family. In contrast to other cushion perennials and plants in the rock garden, even snails avoid Saxifraga arendsii, which makes it ideal for delimiting flower beds or paths. The only problems are caretaking errors, as the roots can sometimes grow out of the earth. If there is too much sun, these dry up, which quickly leads to the plant dying off. That means, as long as the care is right, the moss saxifrage is fine.